A Sight to See

These days, most metalcore bands seem to have an “–er” complex. The drums have to be faster, the guitars chuggier, the vocals crazier. A Sight to See has taken a completely different approach to that formula, though. It’s not really anything new; synphonicism and a strong clean/scream vocal duo has been seen in metalcore since the early 2000s, but hearing it here revives a familiar friend.

The Amarillo, TX-based band hasn’t been around long, they started in 2011, but the group’s new EP, The Arrival, shows huge maturity for such a young group. The group’s influences are hugely prevalent in this release with hints of Haste the Day, The Devil Wears Prada and For Today all seeping in to the sound, while still remaining uniquely theirs.

The Arrival starts out with a beautiful blend of symphony and brutality with the instrumental piece “Resurrection.” The album then slams into the first clean/unclean blend with the familiar sounds of “Rebel.” The band showcases their technical skill with the familiar chaotic sound of metalcore. (A fantastic example is the introduction to the title track, “The Arrival,” as well as the guitar work in “Replicate.”) The album is generally well-rounded with most issues offset by the band’s unique songwriting.

Despite a few tracks carrying some stereotypical “–core” elements, The Arrival is a very strong EP from A Sight to See using elements not unknown to the Metalcore genre, such as heavy synphonicism, in a new and unique way.

For fans of As I Lay Dying, The Devil Wears Prada and Haste the Day.